Expedition 33 Dominates at the 2025 Gaming Honors
The 43rd yearly Golden Joystick Awards unfolded recently, and with a remarkable performance, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 claimed the title of the biggest winner. This standout role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive secured the prestigious Game of the Year award, along with accolades for Superb Storytelling and Excellence in Visuals.
Adding to the studio's triumph, the skilled performers also were honored with personal awards. Jennifer English won Best Lead Performer for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr earned Best Supporting Actor for his acting as Verso. Furthermore, Sandfall Interactive the studio was named Studio of the Year. In total, Clair Obscur and its creative team won 7 awards throughout the show.
Other notable winners featured Ghost of Yōtei, which received Top Sound Design and Top Console Title, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, winning Best Indie Game (Self-Published) and Best PC Game. Notably, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are voted on by the public, with only 4 categories—Critics' Pick, Breakthrough, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamer Selection—determined by experts.
Here is the complete list of winners from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Outstanding Narrative – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Excellence in Sound – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer Game – Peak
- Top Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Top Indie (Self-Published) – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Top Indie Title – Blue Prince
- Top Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access Game – REPO
- Top Score – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top Game Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Still Playing - Mobile – Pokémon Go
- Console/PC Game Still Played – Minecraft
- Streamer Favorite – Peak
- Top Remake – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough Award – Schedule I
- Best Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Best Supporting Performer – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Lead Actor – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hall of Fame – The Sims
- Top PC Title – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Console Game of the Year – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics Pick – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Wanted Game – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those who missed the live show, the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards can be viewed online following this article.
